FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[sjusection105]

Let's say the Johnnies beat GAC but lose to Bethel in the championship game. I assume Bethel gets the AQ. Johnnies still 8-2, but now with a "better" second loss. Still 8-2, probably an even better SOS, still have two RRO wins. Do they get a bid?

This year, probably not. Other years, probably yea. This whole Pool C situation is like an episode of The Twilight Zone. 

[sjusection105]

I was never convinced the jays were in...  Our sloppy and undisciplined play caught up with us. hopefully this "snub" makes the coaches and  players hungrier.
SJU wants to be viewed as of the great d3 programs in the county. Time to get to work figuring out how to shore things up for next season.

Let's call this a "teachable moment". There are plenty of problems to be addressed moving forward. A good chunk of the coaching staff, as players, were on teams that made deep runs into the playoff and/ or won a Natty.
Every team in the conference circles the date on the calendar when they play the Johnnies. Lesson learned, every team in the conference is capable of beating each other.....be prepared. Play with intensity every down. Eliminate mental mistakes and penalties.
Wipe the slate clean and play Johnnie Football moving forward.

[oldsju67]

I recommend SJU schedules Northwestern for all NC games moving forward.

Beyond the disappointment I have in SJU not getting selected I also believe we need to shine the light of transparency on both the committee and the selection process moving forward......the 241 teams that play Division III football deserve and need to know what metrics matter and how they will be evaluated every year with some consistency.  I know, Win your conference and you are in, is a favorite mantra from fans whose teams are selected....but if you have at-large bids available in any quantity, teams need to know how the evaluation process will work.  Both D2 and FCS teams have a very clear picture of how playoff selection works.  Why D3 decides to write a calculus equation in hieroglyphics (which both D3Football and Logan Hansen were able to decipher) only to erase their formula to create an outcome that their equation didn't support....is beyond disingenuous to the student athletes.  I write this opinion from a place of having been a former d3 player, former d3 coach and former d3 AD.  No one knows how or who will be selected other than the committee that year and with committee turnover the criteria is totally fluid from year to year.

I have poked fun at Frank Rossi on this board over the years, but today he deserves huge kudos for asking questions that needed to be asked....although getting a blank stare in response by the Chair.....GUTLESS!

I also want to wish the best to Bethel and Steve Johnson!  He is a great coach and person that will be missed.

I for one look forward to the renewed Northwestern of Roseville vs SJU rivalry.  Quintuple Monkey Stomp games are always fun!!!!


LEAVE NO DOUBT 2024

[oldsju67]

I was never convinced the jays were in... a 28 point blowout in week 2 and losing to an average and unranked Gustavus did us in. Our sloppy and undisciplined play caught up with us. If this team had got a playoff spot i would have been surprised with a win...hopefully this "snub" makes the coaches and  players hungrier.
SJU wants to be viewed as of the great d3 programs in the county..too 4 is where they expect to be...this team wasn't close. Time to get to work figuring out how to shore things up for next season.

St John's FAFO'ed the whole season with their play.  Today they found out...

[Ice Bear]

I recommend SJU schedules Northwestern for all NC games moving forward.

Beyond the disappointment I have in SJU not getting selected I also believe we need to shine the light of transparency on both the committee and the selection process moving forward......the 241 teams that play Division III football deserve and need to know what metrics matter and how they will be evaluated every year with some consistency.  I know, Win your conference and you are in, is a favorite mantra from fans whose teams are selected....but if you have at-large bids available in any quantity, teams need to know how the evaluation process will work.  Both D2 and FCS teams have a very clear picture of how playoff selection works.  Why D3 decides to write a calculus equation in hieroglyphics (which both D3Football and Logan Hansen were able to decipher) only to erase their formula to create an outcome that their equation didn't support....is beyond disingenuous to the student athletes.  I write this opinion from a place of having been a former d3 player, former d3 coach and former d3 AD.  No one knows how or who will be selected other than the committee that year and with committee turnover the criteria is totally fluid from year to year.

I have poked fun at Frank Rossi on this board over the years, but today he deserves huge kudos for asking questions that needed to be asked....although getting a blank stare in response by the Chair.....GUTLESS!

I also want to wish the best to Bethel and Steve Johnson!  He is a great coach and person that will be missed.

I was a bit taken aback by the Committee Chair's lack of response. To be fair I don't envy his position, at all. With that said I honestly don't think he had the specific information to respond appropriately to Frank's inquiries. He looked a bit like a deer in headlights who was just regurgitating the same company line over and over and over...

My blame sits with the NCAA and not putting more money and resources into getting this correct. IMHO  the chair should have so much information and so many resources at his disposal, at the committees disposal, that every decision should be backed by a combination of clear data based info and common sense. There should be huge stipends (are there?) for committee members from the NCAA (we know they have the $). I understand there are 241 teams, many of which don't play each other because of financial restrictions, etc. Give the committee everything it needs to take this more serious and be a more thorough, consistent, and balanced process.

*These are only some thoughts and please know that I don't claim to have the answers and could not do the Committee Chair's job well at all. I'm just thinking out loud here.

[DuffMan]

You know it's the postseason when oldsju67 crawls out of the woodwork!

I guess I could go watch the BBE Jaguars play in the state semis next Saturday...

[sjusection105]

You know it's the postseason when oldsju67 crawls out of the woodwork!

I guess I could go watch the BBE Jaguars play in the state semis next Saturday...

Carve out time in your schedule to watch the Dassel-Cokato Chargers vs Annandale Cardinals- both from the toughest 3AAA conference in the state. Last year's 3AAA champions New London-Spicer plays in the same conference. Great small town football. You'll probably remember the Dassel-Cokato coach from 20 years ago at SJU 

[DuffMan]

You'll probably remember the Dassel-Cokato coach from 20 years ago at SJU 

Seems to ring a bell. 

[faunch]

You know it's the postseason when oldsju67 crawls out of the woodwork!

I guess I could go watch the BBE Jaguars play in the state semis next Saturday...

Carve out time in your schedule to watch the Dassel-Cokato Chargers vs Annandale Cardinals- both from the toughest 3AAA conference in the state. Last year's 3AAA champions New London-Spicer plays in the same conference. Great small town football. You'll probably remember the Dassel-Cokato coach from 20 years ago at SJU 

$10 gets you a one month subscription and will allow you to watch all the high school games this Thursday thru Saturday

[OzJohnnie]

Ah, well, this ending sucks.  I would like to remember the senior players and thank them for their years of entertainment.  Additionally, I would like to wish them well on their next step in life.


And to the juniors and underclassmen... make GAC hurt next year.  Make them hurt so bad that they fear crawling out of their dark, dank dungeon ever again.

[stanbob]

Winter well my friends, screw the selection committee.   And summer well Oz.

[retagent]

I'm as disappointed by the "snub" as all other Johnnie fans, but I'm trying to put that at rest by looking at the brackets they would have been in and realizing that it would have been surprising if they made it past the second round. That said, my advice to the "Committee is - "BE CONSISTENT!!!

[sfury]

Good quotes from Gary here:

https://www.stcloudlive.com/sports/college/johnnies-left-out-of-division-iii-playoff-field

[art76]

The projected bracket is posted- it shows bethel at Whitewater, and SJU hosting Wheaton.

I'm thinking the committee will have different ideas this year and we'll all be shocked/appalled by what they do. I have nothing to base this on but gut instinct.

Obviously, I'm a prophet...

[BleacherBum]

Final Regional rankings are out on the NCAA site: https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/d3/regional-rankings
Region VI            
1   Wis.-La Crosse   7-1   9-1
2   Wis.-Whitewater   9-1   9-1
3   Saint John's (MN)   8-2   8-2
4   Whitworth   8-0   9-0
5   Bethel (MN)   8-2   8-2
6   Linfield   8-1   8-1
7   Wis.-River Falls   7-3   7-3

I fully admit that the following could be construed as a conspiracy theory, so I'm willing to be told off in spectacular fashion...

Any chance that the national committee overruled the RAC and bumped 9-1 Linfield over 8-2 SJU? Despite the Chair's statement that they're following the guidance of the RAC's, they do have the power to overrule if the RAC doesn't fit their worldview. With Whitewater as the obvious 1st Pool C and River Falls dropping to 7, everyone else is a Pool A leaving just the Cats or the Johnnies to go 3 rounds in the rankings. If record became more important to the national committee than RRO or SOS, its shady, but not inconceivable that Johnnies got stuck behind Linfield and never came to the table.

Coe 9-1, 1-1 RRO, .503 SOS over Linfield 9-1, 0-1 RRO, .510 SOS . With a win over an RRO, Coe is at least defensible from the committee in this scenario.

I fully agree with many on the board, it'd be nice to have more transparency on how to build your resume and then have the committee follow it consistently!